1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a method and apparatus for protecting the integrity of a memory device in the event of a crash or the destruction of the system containing that memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various inventions exist for the protection of electronic assemblies embedded in a vehicle in the event of the crash or destruction of that vehicle. Flight data recorders for commercial aircraft, for example, are typically enclosed in an environmentally-sealed metal enclosure made of a material such as titanium to survive tremendous impact forces. These “black boxes”, as they are often called, are mandated by the FAA to survive penetration, impact, and high temperature. Because of these stringent requirements, these crash-hardened electronic devices are prohibitively expensive for fleets of smaller aircraft or ground vehicles, which may or may not have federal requirements for continuous data recording.
Most products in the prior art utilize elaborate mechanisms for protecting entire electronic assemblies from damage or heat due to crash-related fires. Some encapsulate the electronic assembly in enclosures with cavities filled with liquid or chemicals designed to dissipate or absorb heat. While these methodologies may provide adequate protection for the circuits or electronic devices, the resulting enclosures are large and bulky and will not work for applications requiring smaller, self-contained or handheld data recording devices.
What is needed in the art is a device which will adequately protect a solid state memory device, but which is small and compact enough to fit inside of a small, self-contained or handheld electronic device.